Practicing Christmas
by Animegoil
Summary: Dita and Zima's first Christmas turns into a chance for Dita to finally unlock her feelings for Zima, and finding a way to practice Christmas love and mercy comes in the form of a stray kitten. DitaxZima fluff.
1. Christmas Day

**This is a Zima/Dita Christmas fic! Cause we need more Zima/Dita fics! –nods heavily- Yup. So Merry Christmas to ya'll! **

**Disclaimer: Chobits is not mine. You could consider giving it to me for Christmas though…. –grin-**

**Oh, I did want to tell you that there is a mention of the birth of Jesus and about his death, and I'm not trying to press my religious beliefs on anyone, but it is a _Christmas_ fic, and technically, Christmas is a Christian holiday. It goes along with the fic, and it's a just a short part though, and you have been warned, so there better be no flames about that concept. It's a free country, and I can write whatever I want. Plus, it's not like it's going to kill you.**

**Okay, now that I'm done being all mean and intimidating (Or not…-sweatdrop) on to the fic!**

**Enjoy!**

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**_Practicing Christmas_**

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Black-gloved hands stirred for the first time that day, though it was late in the morning and the city had been busy for many, many hours beforehand. One reached out, searching blindly through sleep-heavy thoughts for one thing.

Her hand was met with nothing, only the cold hardness of concrete, and in their  
sleep, delicate features frowned, reaching out even further. Something wasn't right. It wasn't that all she could touch was the cold floor, but that there was no calming, humor-tinted voice saying, 'There, there, love, I'm already up.'

Silence and cold.

In a flash, fiery ruby eyes were open, tinged with a tiny, but incredibly disconcerting amount of something as close to worry and fear as the little Chobits was able to express.

"Zima?" the strong, yet supple voice called out.

There was nothing in the small, but clean, mechanical-parts store-room on top of an industrial building they'd chosen to sleep in the night before to stay out of the snow's way. Springing to her feet, black, neatly-cut locks flew from side to side as Dita frantically looked around.

"Zima?" Again, louder, angrier, and to someone who knew her well, you would almost say worried. The small, black-clad Chobits dashed out from the small room, the door slamming loudly as her temper took the better of her, along with a nagging feeling she couldn't understand. Where was Zima?

She almost skidded to the edge of the snow-slick rooftop, glaring ineffectually at the white powder as it reflected the already too-bright sunlight twice as blindingly into her eyes.

Then there was a deafening beep inside her head, indicating a new message, and she cursed loudly, a slim hand reaching up to hold her temple, "What's my internal sound doing so loud?" she grumbled highly irritated, choosing to ignore it. She didn't care about some stupid message; she was trying to find where Zima had gone! But then it came again, and she growled, deciding to check it lest it beeped again in that ultimately annoying and irritating way…

"Ah…" candy-apple eyes blinked, "Zima?"

The National Data Bank's smooth voice entered her head, humor tinted as usual, "I thought turning the volume up would get you to pay attention to the message. Otherwise, I can just imagine you firing that little temper of yours and ignoring anyone who might distract you," Dita's face contorted into a glaring pout, but the message continued, "I only went to find a newspaper, and you looked so _cute_ sleeping," the pout and the glare became more pronounced, "That I just couldn't wake you up. If you want, meet me at that little café we saw from above the other day."

Of course it'd been Zima. That irritating idiot was the only one who'd ever be able to log into her and slip past completely unnoticed. Anyone else would have caused a great deal of discomfort for Dita, and her system would have immediately kicked into defensive mode.

Springing lightly from the rooftop, she landed lithely on the sidewalk ten stories below without making more sound than the muffled crunch of snow, ignoring the shocked stares of the few people around her.

Ducking in and out of alleys and streets, making her way through the blindingly white snow-blanketed city, she noticed that everyone was smiling and chatting happily. The streets and houses too, she saw, were clad in a ridiculous amount of… decorations? Mostly evergreens, with lots of pretty glass ornaments and gold bells, and everywhere, there was the same message, printed over and over above every shop and house, all covered in green and red.

"Merry Christmas!" waved a little girl the small Chobits slipped by. Merry Christmas…? It was grammatically incorrect too; 'Merry Christmas' wasn't even a complete sentence.

What was this 'Christmas,' she wondered? What a ridiculous thing, if it was all about covering the streets with fake green stuff and delicate ornaments that would break and silly lights. What a waste of time… was there even a reason for it?

Shrugging, she sped up into a run, black tail of hair flicking out sharply from behind her. Shadows loomed across her small body as she swiveled sharply into an alley, trying to find the café the playful persocom had talked about…

If it hadn't been snowing, she might not have noticed it. But against the brilliant white, even in the shadow, the clashing crimson was unmistakable, as was the black lump next to it. The small Chobits practically screeched to a halt, keeping her from running over the small thing.

It was small. Absolutely tiny, with smooth black fur, and a small, rounded snout, a long thin tail and triangle-shaped ears. An animal, she decided on her own, without help from her Recognition program, due to the fact that it was alive, and not green. She also realized with a frown that it was broken, since that could be the only reason it was bleeding, right?

Dita wasn't sure, but taking a closer look and running a scan on it, she deducted that it wouldn't be alive for too long. In merely three hours and twenty-three minutes it would die from the severe injury to its leg. And as a logics-based persocom, she saw no logical reason to waste her time trying to fix an animal that was going to die anyway.

She had to get to Zima in any case, that was her ultimate goal and mission, to always be by Zima. Even as she stepped over it and continued her path though, she felt a strange… emotion… tug her sight back almost regretfully over the fallen animal.

OoO

Zima looked with interest at the headline of the paper, crimson eyes scanning it quickly to find anything of particular interest, but as the door opened and closed abruptly, a black blur caught his eye and he looked up immediately.

"Zima!" came the angry voice, and the tall Chobits smiled as much out of pleasure as to placate her.

"Dita, love, good morning," large hands slid smoothly behind the female Chobits, pressing her gently into the larger persocom in a hug.

"Zima," she growled, not the least bit soothed.

"I assume you read my message then. And don't tell me you would not have ignored it had I not turned your internal volume so loud," he smiled wryly.

"Damn well exploded my sensors too," scarlet eyes fumed, but a quick peck to her forehead forced a crimson flush to rise in her face and her mouth to close out of embarrassment.

"Were you worried?" he asked softly, knowing full well what the response would be. But somewhere in his theoretically non-existent heart—more accurately dubbed his programming— he hoped to somehow breach her defensive walls and logics.

"Worried? I'm not _capable_ of worrying, I'm a—"

"I know, you're a persocom," Zima intervened with a smile, hiding the disappointment that pricked him. Another side was immensely amused though, and almost satisfied, "You're an odd girl."

Dita pouted as her taller companion ruffled her hair affectionately, "Why?"

"You say that you have no emotions because you're a persocom, yet I see you displaying them all the time," he responded, smiling tenderly at her. _Albeit, not as much as I wish you would, nor quite the way I want you to… but we'll work on that_. He still harbored high hopes for his partner. She cocked her head to the side, dark locks of hair shrugging off her shoulder, and his smile widened at her questioning glance.

"What?"

"Nothing," came the amused reply to the gruffly perplexed question, and he leaned over, nuzzling her neck lightly. He understood, and accepted that she could not understand or realize some of the things he did, and sometimes it made him a little sad, but… "I'd love you no matter what."

Dita let him nestle his face in her neck as long as he wanted, perplexed at his words, but she was used to the taller Chobits saying odd things without apparent reason and didn't question it. Knowing he liked it, she lifted her arms around his neck and lay them there.

"…It makes you happy… when I do this, but what is that exactly?" she asked softly, hesitating before she continued, "I feel something too… but I don't know what it is…"

Zima chuckled deeply before extracting himself from Dita's small grasp, pausing slightly as he saw the confusion in her eyes.

"I guess I have no way of knowing, but I can only hope it is what I want it to be."

"What is that?" small hands reached up, fluttering above the tall Chobits' face, curiosity reflecting in her jeweled ruby eyes.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out," he winked, before engulfing her in a warm embrace, "And by the way, 'this' is called a hug."

Dita huffed lightly, "I know that…"

Ruffling her silky locks softly before letting go, Zima pointed to the magazine racks, "Why don't you look at some while I finish reading the newspaper?"

Dita shrugged and began perusing through the rack, finding some of the magazines interesting enough to divert her whole attention.

Which is why she didn't notice as the waitress sidled up to Zima, who was contentedly flipping through the large pages of the black and white paper.

"Hi. I haven't seen you here before, are you new?" honey eyes batted large eyelashes at the persocom who looked up with an affable smile.

"Yup, we just got to this city a couple nights ago."

"We?" the tall, brown-haired waitress with the imitation-designer shoes raised her eyebrow. Zima's smile widened slightly as he pointed towards his black-clad companion, completely absorbed in the fashion magazine she'd picked up.

"My partner, Dita."

"Oh," the girl immediately focused her gaze back onto her new finding, brushing off Dita without a second thought. After all, that girl could only be ten at most, no competition there.

"By the way, my name's Alisia," the girl shifted her position, trying to show her perfect figure. Zima though, was not used to something like flirting, or women, and took notice of neither.

"Beautiful name," he said politely, crimson eyes flickering to Dita for a moment, catching her still flipping the pages of her magazine, making faces of disgust and curiosity alternately.

"Thank you," she smiled coyly, sitting loosely on the armrest of the chair.

Throwing the magazine back to where it had come from, Dita decided that most of the humans had a very odd sense of clothing. Too glamorous, or skimpy, or just ugly. Plus, the bright colors didn't suit her too well either. There had been some nice dresses in black though.

It was then she noticed that Zima was talking. To a girl who was much too close to _her_ Zima for the small Chobits. An unpleasant feeling stung inside Dita, along with one she had recognized as anger, as she stalked across the café. The dark-haired Chobits caught her eye, and smiled as he raised himself from the chair.

"Done?"

She nodded, glaring at the brown-haired girl who now stood in front of them, giving Dita an annoyed look for interrupting her. The night-haired persocom stepped closer to Zima, clinging to his waist possessively, glare ever-present, and the National Data Bank blinked for a moment before realizing what was going on. She was jealous. He had to turn his face away to hide the momentary smile that graced his face.

"Anyway, so as I was saying before I was _interrupted_, there's a Christmas party at one of the clubs tonight… and well, if you got nothing better to do, would you like to come as my date?" she asked, the coyness in her voice giving way to a husky tone, leaning over to finger the tall Chobits' chin.

Dita's body tensed, and her icy look suddenly heated into a boiling rage of flames, her temper faltering. But before it could explode, the process was abruptly cut off as Zima started laughing, unable to contain himself in the current situation. The waitress' finger was snatched back out of surprise.

"Sorry, but there's only one person I'd ever take on a date," he chuckled, diving down to sweep the surprised persocom at his side into his arms, kissing her cheek chastely. Dita squeaked, large eyes widening at the unexpected movement.

Alisia growled and stalked out of the room, giving Dita a venomous look that was replied by the small Chobits childishly sticking her tongue out.

OoO

"There was no need to be jealous," Zima laughed again, kissing Dita lightly on the lips now that they were in the privacy of a snow-covered rooftop.

"She was too close to you…" the diminutive computer mumbled, giving in weakly to the larger Chobits' gentle caresses. She suddenly growled, glaring at nothing in particular as her eyes glowed with remembered anger, "What the hell did she think she was doing anyway? That—"

"Now, now, Dita, love. It's Christmas, be nice."

This stopped her in her tracks, "Christmas?"

Zima nodded, delighted to have a chance to explain this to her, "It's a human holiday. One of the biggest in the whole year, celebrated by practically everyone."

"So that _is_ why there's all these silly decorations in the streets," Dita muttered, leaning over the edge of the railing to take a closer look down at the streets. Children skipped across them, bells and odd songs ran in the air, the bright colors green and red contrasting against the street and each other.

"Not just the streets, everywhere. Inside the houses, and shops, you saw the decorations in the café, didn't you?"

The attack persocom nodded, still staring below, black coat billowing against the bitter wind.

Zima gazed down too, "It's a wonderful holiday."

"What's it about?"

"Well, the actual story behind it is that more than two thousand years ago, on this day, there was a baby born…"

Dita frowned, "Stop kidding me, there's nothing special about a birth, it happens everyday."

"Ah," Zima waggled his finger in her face, smirking at her impatience, "This was no ordinary child. He was destined to die for every one so that they would be saved, and their sins cleansed."

"Did he have a choice?" her curiosity was piqued.

"Yes. He didn't have to do it. He would die a horrible death, crucified, hated by those he was trying to save," Zima continued quietly, looking out into the sunny, cloud-dotted sky.

"That's stupid, why would he die like that for people who didn't care about him and hated him?"

"Because he loved them, Dita, dearest… even though they hurt him, and didn't believe his words."

"…Loved… them?" her gaze turned into one of innocent confusion, "But they hated him. How could he love someone who didn't return his feelings?"

A slow smile slid onto the more intuitive of the pair, "Just like I can love you, darling."

"I don't hate you!" Dita's response was immediate, "It's not the same!"

"But you don't love me either, so you say."

Dita froze.

She couldn't feel love. She couldn't hate either, but it still wasn't her fault! There was nothing she could do about it, she thought desperately. It was true, she didn't hate him, but that was because she couldn't feel emotions, and hence she couldn't love him either. What did she feel, then? It wasn't neutral, there was _something_ that responded inside her whenever she felt Zima's touch, or heard his low chuckle, or caught his tender gaze. But it couldn't be love, because she was incapable of loving. She wasn't even sure what love was. According to Zima, it was a very strong feeling, a good one, towards someone, different from any feelings for anyone else. She felt something like that around him. But how was she to know if it was love, when she'd never really met anyone else? There was nothing she could do about it, it wasn't her fault that her programming kept her from understanding what Zima was talking about!

Crimson eyes softened in a sad gaze as he saw the distress he'd caused his love. In one swift move, he held the gently trembling Dita in his arms and kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry, love, I didn't mean to upset you…" he murmured in her ear, voice low with regret.

"I'm… not upset. I can't be…" she clung tightly to him, burying her face in his shoulder as her tiny body was swallowed up by Zima's own body, "I'm sorry I can't…"

"Shh," he interrupted her, squeezing her gently, "It's not your fault. I shouldn't have done that, I didn't think you'd get upset…"

She stayed silent, feeling safe and warm in his embrace, involuntarily leaning further into him and tightening her hold on him. She liked the feeling she got when she was with him.

"…The people seem happy. And they're even giving beggars money. They don't do that usually…" she whispered, her solemn mood still hanging in the air. The temperature was cold, but wrapped up in Zima's arms she didn't feel it at all. The larger persocom's back was pressed against the railing, Dita's head resting peacefully on his shoulder as she watched the streets below through the railings.

"It's the spirit of Christmas. To humans, Christmas means love, and selfless giving. Mercy, and kindness," he responded sleepily. Only noon, and he was already settling into his daily nap.

Dita though, was not about to let him. At his words, her head snapped up.

"Selfless giving… and mercy?" she repeated slowly, an image forming in her mind. She suddenly straightened like a branch bent away only to spring back to its original position.

"Whoa, what's up, love?" Zima shook the sleep off his mind, startled by her sudden motions, blinking with surprise as she stood up.

"I'll be back," her small body turned to leave.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

His shorthaired guardian gave him a hesitant look, searching for words, poised over the edge of the building.

"I'm… practicing Christmas," she answered softly, the words rolling strangely off her lips. And with that, she leapt off, black hair-tail flickering behind her, leaving a dumbfounded persocom who let a smile alight upon his lips.

"So much hope left…" he murmured.

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**Awright… now, I know it ends odd, but THERE IS A SECOND CHAPTER! And it will be updated before Christmas. I already have some of the second chapter written.**

**I hope you liked it, and hopefully I kept them in character… although I think that there's so much to Zima and Dita that you could have various interpretations of their character- within a certain range, but yeah. **

**MERRY CHRISTMAS! **


	2. Christmas Kitten

**Yay! Thanks for all my reviewers! I'm so sorry. I had the second chapter written before xmas, but my computer crashed! It's still not fixed... luckily, I got... a laptop for xmas! --squeals-- i was so happy! But then we went on vacation the day after xmas, and I did take my laptop, but I had no internet access. In other words, this is the soonest I was able to update. we got home last night. But yeeah, I finally updated.... **

**Anyway, thanks for all your possitive reviews, so glad you liked it! Responses at the bottom!**

**Happy New Years!!!**

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_**Practicing Christmas**_

**_Chapter 2_**

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Zima waited for Dita's return at the base of the building, childishly drawing figures in the snow with his finger as he stood in the cold December day. Christmas day to be exact. Adding whiskers to the cat he traced in the snow, he let his mind theorize over what his little attack Chobits had gone to do. It was so uncharacteristic of her to leave him just like that. 

Had she gone to apologize to that waitress? He chucked the idea even before it was fully formed. His Dita was too proud to apologize to anyone, especially someone who'd almost made her lose her temper like that. He had to chuckled amusedly at the remembrance of the incident.

So then what? To give money to the beggars? Though he hadn't taught her, he was pretty sure she knew how to operate the ATM machines and remove money from their government supplied account. But still, it just wasn't her style.

He gave up; his little Dita was too much of an enigma for him to figure out. He was trying, but it was a long process, made more difficult by her inability to understand and realize the emotions she so profusely refused to admit she possessed and displayed.

Then he heard the low crunch of snow under small footsteps and glanced up immediately, and froze. Against her smooth, pale skin, and the brilliant white purity of the snow below, the crimson droplets that fell to the snowy ground and trailed over her arms, wrapped around herself, were shockingly clear in Zima's mind, and the alarm he felt was like nothing he ever had.

"Zima, look—"

"Dita! What happened?" he rushed forward, reaching for her, but she only raised an eyebrow on a puzzled face, and it was then that the taller persocom noticed the black animal held gently in her arms, unnoticed against the backdrop of Dita's black clothing. He looked at his partner in confusion, and she only held out her arms, the unconscious animal cradled gently in her hands.

"I found it, Zima. It's an animal…" she paused and looked at the tiny creature in her arms, "It's broken. Will… will you help me fix it?"

He could never refuse her. Not when her candy-apple eyes were pleading him, shining brightly with a new light, one he had never seen in her before. She was growing up before him, experiencing the emotions that made persocoms so human. Her eyes continued to watch him expectantly, hopeful.

"Will you?"

The protégée Chobits bent forward to kiss her forehead, "Of course I will."

Immediately, he removed his dark winter coat, setting on the ground and motioning for Dita to place the animal on the coat. She did so, her finger as gentle as he'd ever seen them.

The tall, crimson-eyed persocom proceeded to scan the creature in front of him, his eyes glazing over as his programs ran their course, "It's a cat. A kitten to be exact. And it has a broken leg."

"Can you fix it?"

He looked at her fixedly, surprised at the amount of concern her eyes held, "Yes," he said, beginning to look for and download a veterinary file on fixing broken bones, "But I'll need you to get me a few supplies first."

"Ok," she said, leaning over to plug herself into his ear socket, letting him relay the information to her. Once received, she nodded determinedly and ran off.

OoO

_Why_? She had been asking herself that question a billion times. She felt giddy, almost dizzy, with the barrage of emotions whirling inside her, and she couldn't understand them. All directed at the kitten, and strong. What she did know, though, was that they were nowhere near as strong as those she felt around Zima. She had never realized how strong those were, not having a way of comparison. She did now, and knew. But the feelings she got around Zima were always soft, and warm, if confusing.

But _why?_ She wasn't supposed to be able to feel anything. So why could she feel? And worse of all, if she actually could feel, why could she not recognize the emotions? It was hard to walk around with a billion incomprehensible emotions swirling inside you.

Dita sighed to herself. She wanted to talk to Zima about it. Of course, knowing him though, he'd probably only make matters more confusing by asking her all these questions… he could never be straightforward.

Clutching the plastic bag in her arms closer, she slid into the alley Zima was waiting for her in, and skidded to a stop in front of him. The National Data Bank was currently attempting to keep the black kitten warm by breathing on it. Though persocoms did not breathe, all machines needed a ventilation system, to cool their inner machinery, and in persocoms, that function had been adapted to be like breathing.

"I got the stuff," she dumped the bag's contents on the ground- a first aid kits, disinfectant, a flat piece of wood that would be used to keep the broken leg in place as it healed.

Zima nodded and set to work immediately, disinfecting and cleaning the bleeding leg and ebbing the flow, following the directions from the file. Glancing up, he blinked at finding her kneeling next to him, looking on anxiously at the process. Anxious? He shook his head and focused on his work.

"Does… it hurt?"

Zima glanced at her for a second, then returned to the cat, "I'm sure it does. But the kitten's unconscious, so hopefully it doesn't feel it," he added as he saw her bite her lip.

The process seemed to take forever to Dita, though in reality it only was about an hour. But to her, it seemed to take all day, and the whole time, there was something fluttering in her stomach, making her feel nervous and sick.

"Are you almost done?"

"Almost," the patient answer came, though it had to be the eighth time it'd been asked.

The diminutive persocom sat back on her haunches, patience sustained only by a thin thread.

Finally though, Zima sighed, as all that was left was to bandage the piece of wood the leg. Taking the gauze in his hands, he was about to begin when he was stopped by Dita's small hand on his, and he looked up to her deep ruby-jeweled eyes, reflecting such a surprising amount of concern that he breathed in sharply out of surprise.

"Can… can I help?" she took the gauze out of his hands, glancing at him for affirmation.

"Course, love," he murmured, watching her intensely as she gently bandaged the leg to the supporting plywood, tiny hands coursing carefully in their work. Finishing, she lifted up the sleeping kitten in her arms again, mindful of its leg.

A small mew suddenly drew her attention back to her arms, to find large golden eyes blinking sleepily up at her.

"Zima! It woke up!" he relished in the childish tone of excitement and wonder in her voice.

"Good," he nodded, pleased.

The black kitten with the golden eyes meowed again, and Dita watched, fascinated, and suddenly yelped as it licked her hand, small, sandpapery tongue lapping her hand repeatedly.

"I think it—she—likes you," Zima grinned. Dita just watched the kitten, blinking as it closed its eyes and went back to sleep.

"It fell asleep."

The tall, dark haired persocom sighed tiredly, leaning back onto the building, "Come here, love. I want to sleep too."

"You don't need me to go to sleep,"his fiery-tempered companionraised her eyebrows, but obeyed nonetheless.

"Yes I do," he pouted, "I need someone to cuddle up with."

The attack persocom shrugged to herself, settling into his open arms and burrowing herself into him, black-furred kitten still safely tucked into her arms. She loved the warm, safe feeling she got with him, but couldn't understand the reason that heat was rising in her face just looking up at him. So much she didn't understand… How could she ever return his love if she couldn't understand it?

"So, are you going to name it?"

Dita glanced up at him, as her gaze had settled on the sleeping animal in her arms, "What?"

"Well, you are going to keep it, aren't you? At least until its leg is healed, right?" he grinned at her, the eagerness in his voice hinting at her that he wanted to keep it as well.

"I guess," she tilted her head to the side.

"So, what are you going to name her?" he repeated.

"Um…" she hesitated, searching for an appropriate name, andthen aslow smile played upon her lips, "How about Christmas?"

Zima chuckled, the low sound emitted from deep in his chest andrumbling through Dita's body made her feel comfortable, "That's a wonderful name. If you want, tomorrow we could look for some things for it."

"Like what?" ruby jewels snuggled closer, her voice mildly curious.

"What do you mean what?" the larger persocom tugged one of Dita's dark locks in playful remonstration, "Like food, and a collar, and toys."

"They need all that?" she blinked. Zima lifted a hand to pet the kitten's head carefully.

"It is a kitten, why not pamper it? Or do you want to be pampered too?"

"I don't care," she answered, but by the tone of her voice Zima knew she did.

"Of course you do, love," he chuckled again, trailing gentle, teasing kisses down her hair and forehead to her nose and neck, gazing at her warmly, "You know I'd do anything to make you happy."

At this point, Dita looked up, searching his face and crimson eyes for anything that she could recognize, but all she saw was the same thing she always did—the emotion he had told her was called love. The same warm gaze that made her melt inside inexplicably.

"Zima… what would make you happy?"

The National Data Bank stared, knowing his eyes had widened a fraction of an inch. Her soft voice repeated itself in his head, and he suddenly smiled widely, "You, of course."

Her gaze turned into one of annoyance, "I'm serious," she said, twisting around completely so that now she was straddling him, a motion so perfect she hadn't even upset the sleeping animal in her arms, and glared at him, "I'm serious," she repeated, "I want to…" her voice faded slightly, the edge gone and replaced by tenderness, "I want to repay you… I want to make you happy too…"

"Just doing that makes me happy love. Just being with you, and looking at you. Every time I wake up, and I find my adorable little Dita in my arms, I _am_ happy. You are my happiness love. Without you, I'd cease to function," he said seriously, watching her shocked reaction at his words.

"…Don't say that…" she whispered, looking away. He frowned.

"What?"

"Don't say you'd cease to function… I… I don't like thinking about that happening," her eyes glazed slightly, and she looked even further away, "It… makes me feel something bad inside… I don't like it."

He sighed, gathering his Dita in his arms again, "Poor love."

"Why?"

"Because you're limited to describing your feelings as good or bad. Whether you like them or not," he answered sadly.

"I like the ones I get when I'm with you… a lot," ruby eyes admitted, looking down, allowing Zima a chance to smile softly.

"Love you," he said simply.

She turned on him abruptly, confusion swimming in her eyes, her gaze desperate for an answer suddenly, "Zima, why do you love me? How can you say you love me, when I can't love you back?"

The plead for a truthful answer, the show of the confusing emotions that seemed to dwell in her supposedly nonexistent heart reached Zima loudly, and he smiled at her, adoring everyone of the human emotions she was so clearly and unknowingly displaying.

"That's easy, love. Because I _know_ you love me. You don't think you do, but I can see through it."

"Really?" it wasn't the answer she was expecting, he knew. In fact, he guessed that his answer didn't solve any of her problems or actually answered her question, but it was the truth. He knew she loved him. How many times had he not logged in to her only to be immersed in a feeling so much like his love for her? He saw his own love for her reflected in her eyes. It was only in actually expressing it and understanding it that she actually had any trouble.

"Thank you," she said, and to the taller Chobit's delight and surprise, a crimson streak tinted her face as she reached up to kiss his cheek quickly, before hurriedly settling her head back on his shoulder.

"No, thank _you_," he whispered in her ear, nuzzling her gently, feeling immeasurably warmed and grateful by her actions. She had blushed… she had responded to him on her own… even though it was clear in her eyes that she had no idea what she was truly doing or showing. It was part of what he loved in her—she was a beautiful enigma, a character all in her own, more complex than he could ever dream, and he loved every minute he was with her, every chance he got to unravel more of her mysterious and often two-sided personality. It was never dull with her, and though she acted cold, and often didn't return many of the affections he bestowed upon her, when she did, it was more than enough, and for him, it was paradise it self—the happiness that he hoped all persocoms would achieve one day.

Large hands lifted the fiery-tempered persocom's chin to meet his lips, and he kissed her softly, relishing in the warmth and smoothness of her full lips, and she leaned into his kiss in response, memorizing every one of his motions over her lips in her mind and loosing herself in the gentle roughness of his voice as he whispered, "I love you."

Maybe she didn't need to understand her emotions. Maybe all she needed to know was that she wanted to be with him forever, and she loved all his gentle words and caresses, and lived each day for his chaste kisses and teasing murmurs. Maybe for her, love didn't need to be explained or logical, and maybe she didn't need to understand it all to know what it was. She knew now, what she felt, that there was a name for her swirling emotions. Maybe the day would come in which she would understand her feelings better, but for now, she had finally placed a name to the emotions coursing through her. And that was all she needed to respond to him.

"I… think I do too."

Her hesitant voice really did make Zima a very happy man that Christmas day.

* * *

**Well, I know that was ... erm, odd? I don't know. I had a tough time with them, but I think I'm satisfied with it. I do want to write at least one more chapter. But I hope you liked it. **

**Responses;**

**Bluumberry: Thanks! You were my first reviewer! Well, like I said, I think that there's a lot of different sides to Zima and Dita. A lot of innocence and hidden expressions. And yeah, I was trying to show part of their bond with the login thing. A lot of these ideas acutally stemmed from little sentences and stuff I read in other Dita/Zima fics, inclusding yours. I didn't think her reaction to xmas was all that... it came kinda natural, that part did. Your review- the part about what made Zima love Dita- helped SOOO much. I cannot thank you enough for those questions, cause they got my gears working, and they unplugged that nasty writer's block i was having. So thanks, it really shows how much a writer depends on feedback sometimes for the simple plot! And yeah, my descrption of the kitten was really bad. Hehe... --sweatdrops-- I can't wait for your next fic! Ooh, and I finally read the last volume... So CUTE!**

**Koala: --wide eyed-- thanks! wow, i'm so glad. Of course, it's not like there's that mnay Zima/Dita fics so who knows, there may be someonewho portrays them better than I do, but thanks a lot for the compliment! I hope you liked this chapter as well. **

**(erm... no name....): Yup, we do need more fics with this couple! Sry I coudln't update before xmas, my excuse is up top --points--**

**Evil Chibo Wolf:--giggle-- coolname! That's a cool fact, I didn't know that. **

**Kuroi Kitty: Ooh, what does Kuroi mean? Once again, I woudl have updated sooner, but... --points--**

**bOw-doWn-tO-KeiKO: Ooh, odd capitalization... anyway... Yeah, they're my fave too! I'm so surprised there isn't more with them, since I owudl have thought everyone would have just adored them, even though they don't appear that much, they're such cool chracters you woudl have thought more people would have liked them. --cried--- it's a cruel world. I like minoru and Yuzu... yuzki... ack, omg, i can't remember her name! Anyway... i like them a lot too. **

**DeepFreeze27: Imma call you ... heehee... MWAHAHAHAH! I heard you talked to anna yesters. We gotta get togehter. Man, at least use your birthday well! For presents AND friends over. Selfish... heehehee. I love spoilers too. hehehehhe. yeah well, I ALREADY READ alll the frigging Zima/Dita fanfics out there, there's only a few, and I am not in Borders so I can't read that. SO sad, so sad... thanks em. Now, read my GUndam Wing fic. hehe. **

**Woooo, well, thank you! Love reviews, spread the word of Zima and Dita! Yeah! Happy New Years! **


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